


5 Times Steve Remembered Bucky and 1 Time Bucky Remembered Steve

by TaylorWisemanwishitwasSangster



Category: Captain America, Marvel, Winter Soldier - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bucky is still the Winter Soldier, M/M, Steve doesn't become Captain America, Steve never joins the army, happy/sad ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-30
Updated: 2018-09-30
Packaged: 2019-07-20 22:22:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16146767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaylorWisemanwishitwasSangster/pseuds/TaylorWisemanwishitwasSangster
Summary: Steve remembers his best friend.





	5 Times Steve Remembered Bucky and 1 Time Bucky Remembered Steve

1.

Steve gets a letter in the mail. "James Buchanan Barnes has been declared Missing in Action." He starts thinking that Bucky's not dead. He can't be dead. Bucky who always goes after the bullies. Bucky who doesn't stop fighting until the fight is over. He can't be dead. He can't be dead. He can't be dead. It's just not possible.

2.

Steve doesn't believe that Bucky's dead. For years he continues to leave the door unlocked and the porch light on so Bucky can find his way home. He sleeps lightly, waiting for Bucky to come into bed with him like he used to. It's what he always did when he came home on leave so that Steve would wake up with him there. He'll be back. He'll come home. He always comes home.

3.

1952\. Ten years. Steven can't believe the time has passed so quickly. How has it been ten years? How did that happen? Steve keeps thinking about Bucky. About how every year, on the day they kissed for the first time, Bucky would make him dinner. It always got burnt or made wrong, but he tried. And Steve always ate all of it anyway.

4.

Steve reads something in the paper about Howard Stark's death. He remembers that night all those years ago. Howard Stark was saying something about a flying car. Steve was half-heartedly trying to flirt with the blonde girl. What was her name? Bucky was a better actor. Steve couldn't help it. He couldn't see anyone else.

5.

Steve never married. Never had kids. He couldn't. All he can do is try to move on. He starts locking the door. He turns off the porch light. He sleeps without waking. He stops having nightmares. But he can't forget. He falls asleep to the picture on his nightstand. Remembering how Bucky would reassure him when Steve was insecure or bummed about not getting into the army.

+1.

Steve can't remember the man in the picture. He can't remember his name, or how he knew him, but he knows the love he had for him. He's woken by someone getting into the bed. He opens his eyes. The man next to him looks like the man in the picture, but different. This man is rougher. Somehow older but he doesn't look like he's aged at all. A half-remembered name. "Bucky," he says, gasping it out. "You came back. You always come back." As Steve slips away, he hears something, a long-forgotten voice.

"Until the end of time."


End file.
